This moist and flavorful carrot cake stands tall as the perfect layer cake. It's extremely flavorful thanks to warm spices, brown sugar and vanilla. The texture is moist, spongy and perfect for layering. Tangy cream cheese frosting in between each cake layer is the perfect pairing - making this the perfect easy carrot layer cake.
2 ½ cupsfinely grated carrotsabout 4-5 medium carrots
Cream Cheese Frosting
½cupunsalted butter softened, but not starting to melt
12ounces full-fat cream cheeseslightly softened
1 ½ - 2 ½ cupspowdered sugarif lumpy, be sure to sift first
¼teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonlemon juicefreshly squeezed
½cupchopped walnuts for decorating
Instructions
Carrot Cake
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line the bottom of the cake pans with baking paper and lightly grease the sides. Alternatively, lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of the cake pans.
Place the chopped walnuts on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, or until you start to smell a nutty aroma. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl (this recipe has a lot of batter), beat together the granulated sugar, brown sugar and eggs until frothy.
Then beat the oil, vanilla and applesauce into the sugar and egg mixture.
Beat the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, starting with the mixer on a low speed and gradually increasing until combined.
Turn off the mixer and stir in the grated carrots and chopped nuts.
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake in the middle of the oven (ensure both cake pans are on the same rack) for about 34-38 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If using two 9-inch cake pans, the bake time will be about 30-35 minutes. If you are unsure if the cake is done, I recommend baking for a few extra minutes because this cake is so moist and unlikely to dry out.
Cool the cakes in the cake pans for at least 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
Beat in the cream cheese until you no longer see lumps.
Add in 1 cup powdered sugar, the salt and lemon juice. Beat together, starting with the mixer on a low speed.
Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about ½ cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached.
Assembling the Cake
Ensure that the cake layers are completely cooled first.
If the cake layers have rounded tops, gently cut off the domed top either using a cake leveler or a knife.
Place one cake layer, top side down on the plate that you plan to serve it on. Frost the cake with ½ of the frosting.
Then place the second cake layer, top side down on top of the first cake layer. Frost the top with the rest of the frosting. Decorate the top of the cake with chopped walnuts (optional).
Notes
Pan Sizes: Ensure that your 8-inch pans have sides that are at least 2.5 inches high (about 5-6 cm). Alternatively, you can use
two 9-inch round cake pans - bake time about 30-35 minutes
three 8-inch round cake pans - bake time about 30 minutes
Nuts: Nuts are optional. Be sure that they are finely chopped - otherwise the cake can be more difficult to slice.
Carrots: Peel carrots first, then grate with a fine grater.
Raisins: If you'd like to add raisins, soak ½ cup in warm water for 15 minutes. Discard the water and pat dry the raisins. Reduce the walnuts to only use ½ cup.
Cream Cheese Frosting: If you'd like to frost the sides of the cake as well, frost the middle with about ⅓ of the frosting, the sides with about ⅓ of the frosting and the top of the cake with about ⅓ of the frosting.
Cream Cheese: Ensure that the cream cheese is full-fat, brick-style cream cheese.